In Liévin (Hauts-de-France),
Great day atmosphere, this Thursday, at the Arena Stade Couvert in Liévin. The 6,000 seats in this historic French athletic hall are largely empty, but the approximately 150 students from the region who took their place there for this special day of discovery of the paratriathlon are making noise ten times more. It screams, it pushes the comrades doing the 100 meters of swimming with their legs attached, the kilometer of handbike (a three-wheeled bicycle intended for paraplegic or quadriplegic runners, which we move forward with the strength of our arms) or the 800 meters of blind racing, carried out with a guide.
This good-natured competition, with series then qualifying semi-finals for the grand final on Saturday, on the sidelines of the Indoor Triathlon World Cup round, is organized by EDF, one of the main partners of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Frenchwoman, committed for three decades to the French Handisport Federation, has increased the number of events over the last two years as part of its “enJeux d’avenir 2024” program, to provide visibility to the Paralympic disciplines, and ultimately contribute to change the view on disability in general.
“Sport is a real lever for sending messages on this subject,” says Alexandre Boulleray, EDF’s sports sponsorship manager. Putting young people with disabilities, making them practice paratriathlon, allows them to feel the sporting feat that it represents. »
Seated on the third floor of the Arena, with a view of the swimming pool and the blue track that surrounds it, the manager enjoys the festive atmosphere, and notices that all the students are getting involved in the game. “It’s great, isn’t it? This is why we are organizing this day, he notes. We realize that it’s just sport. Young people are there to participate in a sporting competition, there is no longer any difference between sport and parasport. We can all contribute, at our own level, to changing the way we look at disability, parasport, and the athletes who practice it. »
“It’s super physical!” »
Obviously, it works quite well. Romain, Julien and Louison, three Staps students at the University of Artois, right next door, return to the stands after winning their series. Very tired. “We did well, but we didn’t think it would be so hard,” breathes Louison, who managed the handbike part. For me, it was really all about the pecs and the back, with a lot of power to develop to move the machine forward. It’s super physical! »
All three realized the difficulties of practicing with a disability. Julien, who ran with a blindfold, confirms: “The hardest thing is that you feel like you’re running in a straight line all the time, you’re completely lost in space. Communication with the guide is extremely important, but you have to understand each other well, while running, it’s not easy,” he describes.
Fortunately, with Romain, who played the role of guide after starting the team on the swimming event, they are “used to talking and laughing together”. “We know each other well, that helps,” laughs the 18-year-old young man, before continuing, more seriously: “You have to be super strong for these disciplines. Honestly, respect for these athletes. »
We report these impressions to Alexandre Boulleray, who lights up. “That’s exactly what we’re going to look for,” reacts the manager. It allows them to open their eyes to the difficulties of para-athletes, and also of people with disabilities in everyday life. It is important to educate young people on these subjects, they are the ones who will contribute to better integration tomorrow. It has to infuse. »
He doesn’t think he’s saying that well, since our three friends from the “Elodie Lorandi team” (each team bears the name of an athlete sponsored by EDF, such as Clarisse Agbegnenou, Maxime Grousset, Florent Manaudou or Dimitri Pavadé), who are destined to become PE teachers, project themselves. “We may have to have students with disabilities,” notes Julien. It is important to know at least a little about what they may face, what is possible to do for them. »
Between two sports sessions, the students were also able to chat directly with the EDF team athletes present for the occasion, Dorian Foulon (para-cycling, Olympic pursuit champion in 2021), Heïdi Gaugain (para-cycling, world pursuit champion in 2023 ), Théo Curin (para-swimming, triple world medalist in 2017 and 2019), Romain Cannone (fencing, Olympic champion in 2021) and Khalil Chabouni (breakdance, 2021 French champion).
Put an end to “pity”
Gathered in front of their young audience in an amphitheater, the athletes presented their respective disciplines, with specificities unknown to the vast majority, and answered a few questions. “Exchanging with them is a real challenge for us,” says Dorian Foulon. The disciplines, the categories, the handicaps, they don’t know that well and that’s normal. They are the ones who will later educate their own children on this. »
The Breton cyclist, who himself had difficulty accepting himself as a disabled athlete (he was born with a club foot), always takes advantage of these moments to contribute his contribution. “We, Paralympic athletes, are often looked at with pity, in quotes: “oh poor guy he has that, it must be hard, that’s already good at what he does”. No, we want to be seen as athletes, real ones. The world of parasport is becoming more and more professional, we are moving towards very high performance, and in low handicap categories like mine, we are getting closer and closer to able-bodied people. I race at the highest amateur level among able-bodied people. In individual pursuit, I am in the top 10 able-bodied French people. This is what we want to make clear. And to try certain disciplines, that’s when they achieve. It’s not leisure, we’re on tough stuff. »
He was able to see it in person, since the athletes also took part in the competition, like Romain Cannone, who had a hell of a time. “We watch on TV, we can say to ourselves that it’s not that hard, but in fact it’s not enough to have strength in your arms. But you have to be really strong, because if you pivot a little everything else goes away, notes the swordsman. I found that super interesting. ” He is not the only one. Paralympic athletes gained some viewers for their Games. And probably a little more.